Hydraulic gate-operating mechanism



1929' w. 5. LEE ET AL 1,7 1,320

HYDRAULIC GATE OPERATING ME GHANISN Filed Sept. 24, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 1 III! ' INVENTOR I W/l/I m S Lee Fr ard den/er B y David a Dec. 31, 1929. w. 5. LEE ET AL 1,741,320

' HYDRAULIC GATE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept.- 24, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 2 7 75 W/I/I-M EY LEZ I Richard Pfaeh/er Dec. 31, 1929. w. 5. LEE ET AL HYDRAULIC GATE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 24, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet s OPE/V CL arc/l by) x Czaafo 5 TOP Nara-4Z1 1 J/ UFf/PATZ'D & y

6,4 TE cxm/A/a U 60 wn mac/raz BY W P194072 Ua/vr/m (cmsz) Patented Dec. '31, 1929 warren srATss PATENT oFFice WILLIAM s. LEE, RICHARD PFAEHLER, AND DAVID NABOW, OF CHARLOTTE,

NORTH CAROLINA HYDRAULIC GATE-OPERATING MECHANISM Application filed September 24, 1927. Serial N'o. $321,717.

This invention is animprovement in chain hoists for operating head gates, and more particularly in devices of the character in question for operating head gates of the butterfly or pivot type used for the closure of large passage ways.

Head gates, such as are used in the pen stocks and turbine flames of hydro-electric power developments are of large size and subjected in normal conditions of use to a considerable water pressure, which is greatly increased in certain emergencies.

Normally the gate is operated with the pen stock filled with water, which exerts a back pressure on the gate. In case however, of a run away of the turbine, when the head gate nears its closed position, a relatively small quantity of water will flow through the gap between the gate and the passage way, and so this small quantity quickly drains away through the open turbine wicket gates, with a resulting lack of back pressure on the gate.

A more severe lack of balance between the pressure on the opposite faces of the gate occurs when for instance the head gate strikes an obstruction near its closed position, and the gate is again opened without filling the empty pen stock through a bypass. In either case the unbalanced pressure greatly increases the strain upon the operating mechanism for the gate.

It is frequently desirable to use two head gates in one pen stock intake, in order to care for the large quantities of water in large turbine installments, such as occur in modern water power practice. In such case it is desirable to operate the head gates substantially simultaneously, that is to open and close the gates at the same time, though not necessarily 40 in complete coincidence so far as concerns the commencement and completion of the operation.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is the provision of a hoist of simple construction, with no delicate parts under water, and which will be entirely capable of operating the gate not only under normal operating conditions, but also in case of emergencies such as above referred to.

A further object is the provision of an installation for simultaneously opening and closing a plurality of head gates, and so arranged that while operated at the same time the gates may be out of phase in their opening or closing movement.

Another object is the provision in such an installation of mechanism, manually operable for opening or closing the gates in case of emergency, or for completing the closing of either gate when the gates are operated out'of phase.

Another object is the provision of mechanism in connection with the installation for preventing damage to the parts through over movement of the operating mechanism, controlled by the movement of the said mecha nism.

lVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts fully described hereinafter, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims appended hereto, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a part hereof:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the pen stock intake 01 an installation provided with the improved gate operating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the hoisting mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4l of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a partial front elevation in detail of the operating shaft.

Fig. 6 is a diagram of the wiring.

In the present embodiment of the inven tion, the gate is of the type shown and described in application Serial. No. 741,575; filed on October 4, 1924, now Patent No. 1,642,258, issued September 13,v 1 927 composed of a central section or axis 1, and lat eral wings 2 and 3 secured to the axis, which in practice is of cast steel with bronze bushed trunnions 4: at its ends, while the lateral sections may be of cast iron. The lateral sec tions are connected to the axis by mechanism indicated at 5and 6 respectively at the opthe shafts'19 and 19.

posite faces of the gate, the mechanism 5 in the present instance being exterior of the gate, while the mechanism 6 is interior.

The gate is arranged in the intake 7 the trunnions 4 being journaled in the walls thereof, and when closed, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the intake is completely closed, and the gate is substantially perpendicular to the direction of flow. VVhen the gate is opened as indicated in dotted lines in the same figure, it is parallel with the direction of flow.

An air vent 8 is provided below the gate, and a by-pass indicated at 9. This by-pass is controlled by a gate 10 above the head gate, having guided movement in a frame 11, and operated to open and closed position, by mechanism indicated generally at 12. 7 By means of the bypass water may be admitted below'the gate as clearly shown.

The gate is opened and closed by means of a sprocket chain 13, one end of which is connected to the gate below the axis by means of a rod 14. A rod 15 is connected wi h the gate above the axis, and the rod is connected to the other end of the chain by a link 16, hav ing interposed in the length thereof a turnbuckle 17, by means of which the effective length of the link 16 may be varied. The chain passes over a sprocket wheel 18 on a shaft 19 journaled on an axis parallel with the axis of the gate. The shaft is supported in bearing pedestals 20.

When the installation includes two gates, as shown in the present lnstance, a second shaft 19 is supported in alinement with the shaft 19, in similar pedestals 20 and the shaft is provided with a sprocket wheel 18, over which passes a sprocket chain 13, connected with the second gate in the same in anner as the sprocket chain 13 is connected with the first gate. A gear wheel 21 is supported between the shafts and the Wheel is adapted to be connected with either or both, by means of clutches indicated generally at 22 and 22' respectively. Each of these clutches includes a fixed part on the shaft 19 or 19 as the case may be, and a movable part cooperating with the fixed part to connect the shaft 19 or 19 with the gear wheel 21, and the movable parts are operated by mechanism to be described.

The wheel 21 is driven by a worm 23, on a worm shaft 24 arranged at right angles to The worm shaft is provided at the end remote from the worm with a gear wheel 25 meshing with a pinion 26 on a counter shaft 27 arranged parallel with the shaft 24. The counter shaft has a gear wheel 28 meshing with a pinion 29 on the shaft 30 of a suitable motor 31, in the present instance an electric motor. The gear train 25, 26, 28 and 29 provides a reducing train between theshafts 30 and 24, and the relative speed of shaft 24 and shafts 19 and 35 for convenience in manipulating the screw Shaft.

The motor shaft 30 is provided with a gear wheel 36 meshing with another gear 37 on a shaft 38 parallel with the motor shaft. The wheel 36 is normally loose on the motor shaft, but may be connected thereto when desired by the clutch mechanism indicated at 39. The shaft 38 has a worm wheel 40, which is engaged by a worm 41 on a worm shaft 42 having a hand wheel 43.

When it is desired to operate the gates manually the gear wheel 36 is connected to the motor shaft by the clutch 39. When so connected, by means of the hand wheel 43 the shaft 41 may be turned, and through the clutches 22-22, either or both shafts 19 and 19 may be turned. Normally the clutches 22 and 22 are arranged to connect the gear wheel 21 with the shafts 19 and 19 and the parts are so postioned that the gates will be operated simultaneously. In case of emergency or for any other reason, one gate may be released and the other operated.

Each shaft 19 and 19 may be connected to a shaft 44 by means of the chain speed reducing gear indicated at 45. The shaft 44 operates a limit switch 46 of usual construction, and also a position indicator indicated at 47, through the gear connection 48. The position indicator is also of usual construction, having a movable indicator for indicating the position of the gate.

By connecting the limit switches 46 in parallel, the circuit breaker for the motor 31 will be tripped, and the hoisting operation stopped, as soon as contact is established by one of the two limit switches at the opened ,or closed position of either gate, when the gates are operated simultaneously. If gate I only is operated by throwing in the clutch 22, or by releasing the clutch 22*, the limit switch of shaft 19 will be caused to trip the circuit breaker for the motor at the opened or closed position of gate 1. Ina similar manner the limit switch of shaft 19 will trip the circuit breaker for the motor at the opened or closed position of gate 11, when gate 11 is operated alone.

Should for any reason the limit switches fail to operate, the slack provided in the sprocket chains 13 and 13 which is usually about 4 inches, will be taken up as soon as the gates have reached the closed position, or have over traveled the open position. suming that gate I is brought to closed position, with the motor still in operation, and the chain slack entirely taken up due to the failure of the operation of the appropriate limit switch, the rod or chain connected to gate I will be subject to tension, and will gradually create the necessary overload, causing tripping of the overload release switch provided for the motor, it being understood that the motor is of the overload release type.

Assuming gate I to have reached the position of over travel after full opening, with the motor still in operation, due to failure of operation of the appropriate limit switch, the rod of the chain connected to the gate below the axis will be subject to tension, and will thus cause a tripping of the overload release switch for the motor. Both of the chains 13 and 13 are designed to withstand a stress higher than the extreme overload properties of the motor require before the elastic limit of the material is reached.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noticed that the connections indicated at 50 and 51 between the rods 1l15 and the gate are located near to and on either side of the partition wall 52 between the gates. This arrangement enables a minimum length of the heavy main shafts 19 andli). It isobvious, however, that the said connections may be at any desired points on the gates.

If desired, by means of the turnbuckles 17, one gate may be set slightly in advance of the other, as far as regards opening. With this arrangement, when the gates are to be opened, gate I for instance, will open slightly in ad vance of gate II, so that the entire load is brought upon the motor in successive increments. That is the inertia of gate I will have been overcome, before the motor is called upon to overcome the inertia of gate II.

Such arrangement will also result in the starting of gate II. to closed position before gate I is started. The arrangement is enabled by shortening of the connection 1516 between the upper side of one gate and the sprocket chain. When the gates are so set, that is with gate I slightlv in advance of gate II in the opening movement, the motor may be stopped when gate II is fully closed, and gate I may be closed by the hand operated mechanism.

The finalclosure of one or both gates may be made by means of the hand operating device, the limit switches being set to trip the motor circuit beraker before the gate or gates are seated. By this arrangement possible slamming of the gate is prevented. The worm 23 which drives the wheel 21 will act as a brake to hold the gates in the desired position of opening when the motor 31 is not in operation.

Normally the clutches 22 and 22 only can be released when one or all of the gates are in closed position. IVith a gate open or partially open the water pressure tending to close the same is so great that the force exerted by the movable part of the clutch 22 or 22 against the fixed part is such that a shift of considerable size is necessary to release the clutch. In order to block any gate in any desired open position, and to release the clutch under no pressure, the mechanism shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5 is provided.

In this mechanism a toothed shoe 55 is anchored to the masonry 56 near a wheel 53 keyed to the shaft and movable longitudinally thereof, and in position to be engaged thereby when the wheel is shifted laterally by the clutch 5 1. When the wheel 53 is soshifted and engaged with the shoe, the gate may be manually operated to release the pressure between the movable and the linedparts of the clutch, this pressure being transferred to the teeth of the shoe 55, after which the clutch 22 or 22' may be released under no pressure by means of the shifting device 32.

A latching device is provided for holding the gate in a given position, and to support the chain 13 in case the sprocket wheel 18 and shaft 19 are removed for inspection, or durrepair work. This device includes a latch member 57, which is passed through a link of the chain and is adapted to rest at each end on cross bars 58. A latch may be provided for the chain on each side of the wheel, as shown.

What is claimed as new is 1. In hydraulic installations including an intake and a head gate of the pivot or butterfly type, a connection between the parts of the gate at opposite sides of the pivot and near the outer edges of the gate, said connection including a sprocket chain, a sprocket wheel over which the chain passes, and means for rotating the wheel to open or close the gate.

2. In hydraulic installations including an intake and a head gate of the pivot or butterfly type, a connection between the parts of the gate at opposite sides of the pivot and near the outer edges of the gate, said connection including a sprocket chain, a sprocket wheel over which the chainpasses, means for rotating the wheel to open or close the gate, and manually operated means for moving the sprocket wheel normally disconnected therefrom, and having means enabling connection therewith.

3.- In hydraulic installations including an intake and a head gate of the pivot or butterfly type, a connection between the parts of the gate at opposite sides of the pivot and near the outer edges of the gate, said connection including a sprocket chain, sprocket wheel over which the chain passes, means for rotating the wheel to open or close the gate, and a turnbuckle interposed in the connection. a

4. In hydraulic installations including an intake and a head gate of the pivot or butterfly type, a connection between the parts of the gate at opposite sides of the pivot and near the outer edges of the gate, said connection including a sprocket chain, a sprocket wheel over which the chain'passes, a motor for driving the sprocket wheel, a worm gear connection between the motor and the wheel, and means to connect said worm gear connection with the wheel or to disconnect it therefrom.

5. In hydraulic installations including an intake and a head gate of the pivot or butterfly type, a connection between the parts of the gate at opposite sides of the pivot and near the outer edges of the gate, said connection including a sprocket chain, a sprocket wheel over which the chain passes, means for rotating the wheel to open or close the gate, said means including an electric motor, limit switches for stopping the motor at the end of the travel of the gate in each direction, and means driven by the sprocket wheel for operating the limit switches.

6. In hydraulic installations, including an intake and a plurality of head gates for controlling the intake, each of the butterfly type and arranged with their axes in alinement, a common means for operating the gates to open and closed position, connections between the operating means and the several gates, and means to vary the length of either of said connections to cause one of the gates to open in advance of the other.

7. In hydraulic installations, including an intake and a plurality of head gates for controlling the intake, each of the butterfly type and arranged with their axes in alinement, a common means for operating the gates to open and closed position, connections between the operating means and the several gates, means to vary the length of either of said connections to cause one of the gates to open in advance of the other, the operating means including a sprocket wheel and the connection between each gate and the wheel extending from the gate at one side of the pivotal connection around the wheel to a connection with the gate at the other side of the pivotal connection, and includinga sprocket chain engaging the wheel.

8. In hydraulic installations, including an intake and a plurality of head gates for controlling the intake, each of the butterfly type and arranged with their axes in alinement, a common means for operating the gates to open and closed position, connections between the operating means and the several gates, means to vary the length of either of said connections to cause one of the gates to open in advance of the other, and means to connect the operating means with either gate or to disconnect it therefrom.

9. In hydraulic installations, including an intake and a plurality of head gates for controlling the intake, each of the butterfly type and arranged with their axes in alinement, a common means for operating the gates to open and closed position, connections between the operating means and the several gates, means to vary the length of either of said connections to cause one of the gates to open in advance of the other, said common means including an electric motor, limit switches in connection with each gate for stopping the motor, and means whereby each connection may operate the limit switches to stop the motor at the end of the travel of the gate in each direction. I

10. In hydraulic installations, including an intake and a plurality of head gates for controlling the intake, each of the butterfly type and arranged with their axes in alinement, a common means for operating the gates to open and closed position, connections between the operating means and the several gates, means to vary the length of either of said connections to cause one of the gates to open in advance of the other, said common means including an electric motor, limit switches in connection with each gate for stopping the motor, and means whereby each connection may operate the limit switches to stop the motor at the end of the travel of the gate in each direction, the limit switches of the gates arranged in parallel so that the movement of either gate may control the stopping of the motor.

ll. In hydraulic installations, including an intake and a plurality of head gates for controlling the intake, each of the butterfly type and arranged with their axes in alinement, a common means for operating the gates to open and closed position, connections between the operating means and the several gates, and means to vary the length of either of said connections to cause one of the gates to open in advance of the other, said connections being near the adjacent sides of the gates.

12. In hydraulic installations including an intake and a head gate of the pivot type, a wheel for moving the gate, a flexible member passing about th wheel and having a positive connection therewith to constrain the member to move with the wheel, connections between the ends of the flexible member and the face of the gate at opposite sides of the pivot, and means to rotate the wheel to open or close the gate.

13. In hydraulic installations including an intake and a head gate of the pivot type, a wheel for moving the gate, a flexible member passing about the wheel and having a positive connection therewith to constrain the member to move with the wheel, connections between the ends of the flexible member and the face of the gate at opposite sides of the pivot, and means to rotate the wheel to open or close the gate, one of said connections being variable in length.

1 1. In hydraulic installations including an intake and a plurality of head gates for controlling the intake, each of the pivot type and arranged with their axes in alinement, a wheel for operating each gate, a flexible member engaging the wheel and having a positive connection therewith to constrain said member to move with the wheel, connections between each flexible member and the adjacent face of the adjacent gate at opposite sides of the pivot, and a common means to rotate the wheels, said means releasable at will from either wheel.

15. In hydraulic installations including an intake and a plurality of head gates for controlling the intake, each of the pivot type and arranged with their axes. in alinement, a wheel for operating each gate, a flexible member engaging the wheel and having a positive connection therewith to constrain said member to move with the wheel, con-- nections between eachfiexible member and the adjacent face of the adjacent gate at opposite sides of the pivot, and a common means to rotate the wheels, said means releasable at will from either wheel, one of said connections at each gate being variable in length for the purpose specified.

16. An hydraulic installation, including an intake, a head gate of the butterfly type for controlling the intake, a motor for operating the gate to opened and closed position, manually operated means for moving the gate, a clutch for connecting the gate to the motor and the manually operated means, and means independent of the clutch to support the gate in partially open position, thereby to facilitate release of the clutch.

17. An hydraulic installation, including an intake, a head gate of the butterfly type for controlling the intake, a shaft connected with the gate for opening and closing the same when the shaft is turned, manually operated means for turning the shaft, a motor for operating the shaft, a clutch between the shaft and the motor, and means to prevent rotation of the shaft under the pull of the gate movable into and out of operative position and cooperating with themanually operated means to release the pressure on the clutch, thereby to facilitate release of the same.

Signed at Charlotte in the county of Meeklenburg and State of North Carolina this 30th day of June A. D. 1927.

WILLIAM S. LEE.

RICHARD PFAEHLER. DAVID NABOW. 

